Basketball Season Ends
The Forest Blade
Troup Brinson
The Swainsboro Tigers boys basketball team fell to the East Laurens Falcons in the first round of the region playoffs last week, 65-62. The Tigers needed to win in order to clinch a birth in the state playoffs. The loss cuts short a season that showed flashes of brilliance but far too often, frustration.
Swainsboro should have been confident that East Laurens would offer little resistance. The Tigers throttled the Falcons 77-45 just two weeks ago. But with a state playoff birth at stake, East Laurens came out with all guns firing, knocking down five 3-pointers in the first half to lead 30-28.
Lynquez Blair took over in the 3rd quarter and drove the ball to the hoop with reckless abandon. The Tigers converted three conventional 3-point plays by making the basket and converting a foul shot. Swainsboro picked up their intensity and appeared determined to avoid an upset and led 51-48 after 3 quarters.
Malcolm Eady, Devin Leach, and Blair carried the offense and looked to stretch the lead. However, turnovers played a key role in their demise as they were unable to put enough distance between themselves and the surging Falcons. Leach injured his ankle in the second half and missed all but a few seconds of the 4th quarter. His absence and the hot shooting of East Laurens sealed Swainsboro’s fate in the end.
East Laurens took the lead with under two minutes remaining and the Tigers failed to make shots down the stretch and regain control. Swainsboro finishes the season at 15-11.
This game was not the only game that featured an upset. Jefferson County ended Vidalia’s season as well to advance to the state playoffs. Final seedings in region 3 AA are 1) Laney, 2) Jefferson County, 3) Dublin, 4) East Laurens.
Troup Brinson
The Swainsboro Tigers boys basketball team fell to the East Laurens Falcons in the first round of the region playoffs last week, 65-62. The Tigers needed to win in order to clinch a birth in the state playoffs. The loss cuts short a season that showed flashes of brilliance but far too often, frustration.
Swainsboro should have been confident that East Laurens would offer little resistance. The Tigers throttled the Falcons 77-45 just two weeks ago. But with a state playoff birth at stake, East Laurens came out with all guns firing, knocking down five 3-pointers in the first half to lead 30-28.
Lynquez Blair took over in the 3rd quarter and drove the ball to the hoop with reckless abandon. The Tigers converted three conventional 3-point plays by making the basket and converting a foul shot. Swainsboro picked up their intensity and appeared determined to avoid an upset and led 51-48 after 3 quarters.
Malcolm Eady, Devin Leach, and Blair carried the offense and looked to stretch the lead. However, turnovers played a key role in their demise as they were unable to put enough distance between themselves and the surging Falcons. Leach injured his ankle in the second half and missed all but a few seconds of the 4th quarter. His absence and the hot shooting of East Laurens sealed Swainsboro’s fate in the end.
East Laurens took the lead with under two minutes remaining and the Tigers failed to make shots down the stretch and regain control. Swainsboro finishes the season at 15-11.
This game was not the only game that featured an upset. Jefferson County ended Vidalia’s season as well to advance to the state playoffs. Final seedings in region 3 AA are 1) Laney, 2) Jefferson County, 3) Dublin, 4) East Laurens.
